spolia opima

American  

[spoh-lee-uh oh-pahy-muh, -pee-, spaw-li-ah aw-pee-mah] / ˈspoʊ li ə oʊˈpaɪ mə, -ˈpi-, ˈspɔ lɪˌɑ ɔˈpi mɑ /

plural noun

1. (in ancient Rome) the arms taken by a victorious general from the leader of a defeated army.

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Etymology

Origin of spolia opima

From Latin spolia opīma “rich spoils”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spolia opima

I would fain overtake these robbers that we may relieve them of their spolia opima, together with any other wealth which they may have unlawfully amassed.

From Micah Clarke His Statement as made to his three grandchildren Joseph, Gervas and Reuben During the Hard Winter of 1734 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

So the child who had kicked Billy Goodge and taken the spolia opima of paper cocked hat and wooden sword spoke through the man.

From The Fortunate Youth by William John Locke

The armor stripped from the prince he would have dedicated as spolia opima to Jupiter Feretrius, had he been a general acting on his own authority.

From Dio's Rome, Volume 3 An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During The Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus by Herbert Baldwin Foster

When I had taken his weapon—the spolia opima, as we said at Mareschal College—I bid him rise, and then discoursed him on the dishonour of such a hasty defeat.

From Old Friends, Epistolary Parody by Andrew Lang

The word for ordinary spoils is spolia, but for these spolia opima.

From Plutarch's Lives, Volume II by Aubrey Stewart